THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 199, 7 March 1877, Page 2

THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

[kHOM THU X. Z. TIMES.] A nuMouT.RD attempt to purchase the Waimate Plains hv a company formed in the Damritkei-Manawatn District, aroused a storm which may he truly termed “a storm in a teapot,” since it Was impossible that the plains could have been so purchased. But it is very easy to understand why the matter should have aroused a storm all through the West Coast Districts, though very little notice indeed of the matter was taken in Wellington ; for I have been assured bv those competent to judge that fair and lit for settlement as is the coast land from Wanganui to the north, already under occupation, that beyond it, or lying between it and Mount Egmont, the Waingongora Diver being between them, surpasses all tlx 1 rest. This portion forms what is called the Waimato Plains. They arc open, or intersected by strips of bush, and are well watered. The beds, too, do not run throngli sandy gullies, hut over a hard conglomerate. They arc stated, believe with good reason, to offer unexampled facilities tor small settlement. The question of obtaining the plains is one that has, as it were, drifted into a native dffficully. The whole of the land on this West Coast, from Wanganui to White Cliffs, was, at the close of the war of 1803 and 1864, confiscated, Subsequently some portions were returned to the natives as reserves, and some portions of the confiscated lands were surveyed, and occupied by military settlers and purchasers. Unfortunately no attempt was made at that time to occupy that portion between Waingongoro and Stony Diver. Subsequently, at the close of TitokoWaru’s rebellion, a small block of 1000 acres at Opuuako was surveyed and occupied. Had a small redoubt been placed in the centre of the Waimate Plains at the same time, the natives would have regarded it as occupation, and the question would not have merged into a native difficulty. The natives have a law or custom among themselves that if a tribe conquers another, and there follow confiscation by occupation of the land, the country is lost to the original owners, but where occupation does not follow confiscation the land reverts to the original owners.

In the instance of the Wairnate Plains the conquering pakahas have made no effort to occupy those lands, or define any reserves for the conquered natives, who were quietly allowed to settle down where they pleased, aed gradually to occupy the whole of the plains. The unfortunate mistake made by the Civil Commissioner in asking Tc 'Whiti’s permission to continue the telegraph

line of wire from Opnnako to Stony River, was another serious mistake, regarded by the natives as an acknowledgemeat that wc regarded the confiscated land as their property. The unoccupied confiscated laud question has merged into a native ’difficulty through a series of blunders, the chief of which are the want of justice shown to Honi Pihama and his people, causing us to be deprived of their fall support for a time, the want of firmness displayed towards returned rebels who, as a rule, were better treated than those who remained friendly; the great oversight in not laying off the reserves they Were to occupy, and the want of :m Act to severely punish Europeans who attempted to deal with returned rebels for confiscated lands legally the property of the Crown.

"faking into consideration the series of blunders made, in conjunction with their own laws of confiscation, we cannot wonder at the natives now regarding those lands as their own again. It has now merged into a most difficult question to deal with if it is to be dealt with as confiscated land. -

The qusstion is yearly more difficult, as natives who soil out their lands' in other parts of the island, if they flavo any relatives or claim on the West Coast, avail themselves of the excuse to locate themselves there. These have experienced the evils of parting with too much land at low rates, and strongly urge the holding the land until such time as some alteration in the law allows their selling to private individuals at the highest obtainable price. Several pakeba friends also counsel the same*